Midnight Howl
by Blueinkrose
Summary: Edward leaving causes more than what anyone expects until history is looked into more thoroughly for Bella and the tribe. Spending time with the Cullens has changed Bella in many ways, and one will place her down a path not travelled in many years. While she and Jake grow closer, the threat of Victoria looms, and the Volturi are angered the Cullens revealed their secret to a human.


Chapter 1: New Moon

After another day of hearing nothing from Edward or the Cullens, I drove back from school solemnly as the rain hit my car with a rhythmic pound. I glanced at my arm to see the healing grazes left from my birthday; I sighed and concentrated back to driving to push away the feelings of stupidity creeping in at how clumsy I could be over the simplest of things.

It wasn't successful, and the guilt over what I had caused returned. The images of a blood controlled Jasper scared me all over again, but I still couldn't imagine how he felt once he'd reclaimed his control. Surrounded by a family who'd wrestled him from the house with faces and feelings that must have made him feel awful. I know that Jasper would never hurt me and it was my fault, my clumsy nature that had made him lose control.

I pulled onto the drive and turned off the engine, I stopped for a second just staring out the windscreen blankly feeling so guilty about Jasper. I hoped that soon I could apologise to him, and that accident didn't affect the potential great friendship we could have. I got out my truck and saw a figure just in front of the tree line. I smiled happily, it was Edward. I pushed the door closed hastily and walked over to him. The rain had lessened reflecting my happier mood at finally seeing him.

'Hey,' I said smiling as I got close to Edward.

'Hello, Bella,' He said carefully, not moving from where he awkwardly stood. 'Can we talk please?'

'Yeah, of course,' He nodded and turned away, walking towards the woods silently. My originally happy demeanour at seeing Edward changed as I followed him through the trees, he wasn't acting normally and it was concerning. While trailing behind him as I walked awkwardly through the shrubs and tree branches I noticed he was wearing the same clothes as he had the night of my birthday. They were dishevelled, untucked and seemed to hang off him limply. He didn't even look at me as we walked, not checking that I was ok while combatting the terrain he knew I would trip and fall over.

The trees thinned, and we entered a small clearing. He stopped in the middle of it, turning to face me as he stopped. I crossed my arms as the breeze whipped my hair across my face. I looked to Edward, waiting for him to start talking, his face was hard and absent of any emotion. It wasn't easy look at him like that.

'Bella, we have to leave Forks,' He stated, looking coldly at me. 'People are questioning Carlisle's age and we can't risk it any longer,' My breath hitched in my throat making it hard to speak clearly.

'W-well I'll have to speak to Charlie, come up with something, unless you've already got a plan?' I was uneasy at leaving Charlie so soon after coming to Forks again, but I couldn't let Edward leave so suddenly.

'There's no plan Bella,' my brows furrowed, then realisation came. And it hit me like a brick.

'When you said we, I wasn't included in that was I?'

'No. My family and I are going to leave,'

'If this is because of what happened on my birthday, what happened with Jasper, it was an accident,' I said urgently, 'We can be more careful, you can change me soon! Then it wouldn't be a problem at all,' I searched for answers in his eyes, hoping that his cold expression would ease and reveal that crooked smile so this could be forgotten.

'Yes it was an accident, one I thought could happen,' He paused in thought, 'And it could happen again,' He looked at me, straight in the eyes and they pierced through me. They were so hard and unforgiving, it was difficult to keep eye contact. 'You don't belong in my world Bella,'

Those words shot through me, I couldn't comprehend what he said. After bringing me into the vampire world, making feel like part of his family, to be loved by him, he can't turn around and say that.

'That's not true, I belong with you, I belong with your family,'

'No Bella, you don't. You aren't coming with us,'

'You can't leave me here, after what we went through with James you would leave now? You all helped and protected me then but would just leave me in Forks soon after?' I said more sternly than before, gaining strength in my voice again. His eyebrows drew down, annoyance setting into his face.

'This is not up for discussion Bella, my family have already left, I stayed behind only to speak to you,'

'I don't even get to say good bye?' My heart sank that they'd left, I couldn't apologise to Jasper, I couldn't say good bye to my best friend and maybe have one last endless shopping trip. I would never be able to find out who Rosalie was beneath her hard exterior, or have another giant bear hug from Emmett. Carlisle and Esme had taken me into their family so willingly, I couldn't bear to not be able to thank them, to show my appreciation for what they'd done for me. It hurt so greatly that they would leave, more so that they wouldn't even say good bye.

Edward just looked at me, he made no move to comfort me, to show the love he had for me. Tears started in my eyes, and I tried to fight them back.

'We won't contact you, and we won't be returning,'

'Please Edward, I want to go with you, I want to be with you and your family,' I was almost pleading with him now, desperate for this to not be our good bye.

'I don't want you to come with us,' He punched out 'We don't want you in our family. You do not belong with us,' my breathing became snatched as I heard these words, they hurt deeply, digging into my heart and making my body feel stiff with emotion. I was losing him, I was losing them all.

'Please,' I said quietly, pleading with my eyes as I looked into his nearly black ones. I didn't know if what I saw was a flash of sadness or not, as his stern expression didn't change.

'This is the last time you'll see me Bella, just promise me that you'll be more careful,' He finally moved closer to me, and placed a hand on my waist. I looked up at him, to see a softer face than before. He kissed my forehead, and was gone.

The breeze that hit me as he left was cold and harsh, a slap to add to the hurt I was already feeling. A small 'no' escaped my lips and I tried to follow where Edward must have gone. I couldn't just let him leave, I couldn't let him take a part of me with him.

I walked as fast as I could through the dimly lit forest, branches bashed my face and twigs scratched at my clothes and tangled into my hair. I clumsily tripped and twisted as I tried to move, ignoring the ache in my feet and ankles. The wind whipped around my head and smacked the rain into my face, but I kept going.

I didn't know where I was going, I didn't know whether I was following Edward, whether he would be waiting at his house or if I truly fell I'd feel his arms catch me. Maybe I'd stumble across the Cullen house and they'd welcome me into their home again. In my mind I knew none of this would happen, but I knew my heart wouldn't let that happen and couldn't let it hurt like this.

The light went, and I realised it had turned to night. I looked up through the canopy as I walked to see the first stars of the night come out, shining down pleasantly at me. Suddenly my feet hit a large root and I tripped down into the mud, my hands bracing my fall with a thud. I grimaced at the pain in my ankle and the cuts to my hands. I slid onto my side and lent against a tree, pulling myself up so I rested my back against it. Tears pricked my eyes every time I moved my ankle.

I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting my head fall back against the tree. My mouth pulled into a frown as tears built up in my eyes, threatening to fall onto my face. I felt awful, Edward and the Cullens had left me, and I was lost in the woods and now had a twisted ankle. It was pathetic, I felt worthless.

A tear fell onto my cheek and very soft sobs rocked my chest, I tried my hardest to stop them but I was drained. I stayed like that for a long time, I stopped sobbing and let my breathing return to a normal pace.

It was quiet in the woods. The wind and rain had stopped, but the animals hadn't come out, they were still hiding. I looked back up to find the stars but couldn't see them through the thick canopy. I sighed and closed my eyes again as they felt heavy. And I drifted into a light, exhausted sleep.

I woke up hearing faint calls from the woods, I couldn't make out what they were saying but I hoped they would get closer so I could call to them for help.

At that thought I heard heavy breath close to me, it sounded too heavy to be human it had to be an animal. I stayed still to not frighten it away, my breath was quiet but it quickened at the unknown. I peered into the darkness to try and see the animal, I couldn't see anything. I kept looking and saw eyes glistening in the faint star light look at me. I was barely able to make them out but they were high up, easily taller than me. My heart beat harder in my chest as I locked eyes with the animal. But as soon as I did they disappeared. I had to have been seeing things.

I few minutes passed, the calls still faint in the distance. I heard footsteps close to me, and a tall man appeared through the trees. His brows were furrowed but his face looked relieved. What struck me was that he was shirtless and in crops, it was very strange attire for the cold night and woods.

'Hello Bella,' he spoke in a deep voice, 'I'm Sam Uley, Billy called to help try and find you, are you hurt?' He came towards me and leant down to give me a hand up, looking me over for any cuts. I took it and awkwardly stood, leaning against the tree for balance.

'Thanks, I twisted my ankle on a tree root and can't put any weight on it,' He looked at my ankle and awkward standing position, his face becoming drawn in.

'May I carry you? It will be the quickest way to get you home,' I nodded and looked down. He placed an arm around my waist and lifted me up, holding me against his chest. For someone not wearing a shirt he was very warm, I appreciated the change from the cool night air.

He started jogging through the woods, far more ably footed than I ever could be. I looked up through the breaks in the canopy to see the stars again, fully out now and crowding over the woods giving a small amount of light to the dark woods. Sam seemed to be fine with just that, finding his way through the shrubs and trees easily.

After a while he slowed down to a walk, and I could start to hear chatter and see yellow lights. We then came out of the woods to a mass of people and cars huddled together pointing at maps.

'Charlie!' Sam called out, and Charlie's head snapped up to look at him. A flood of relief and happiness fell over his face and he ran over to us. Sam put me down gently and I thanked him, he nodded in return without looking at me.

'Bella, god Bella, are you hurt?' Charlie put an arm around my waist and searched my face for an answer.

'Twisted my ankle, maybe the odd graze,' I stated quietly, not wanting to worry him for how I was truly feeling.

'Ok, let's go inside and I'll bring the Doctor to check you over,' I leant into him as I hobbled to the door. I saw people around cars packing away their things and looking at me with relieved smiles on their faces. Billy was speaking to Sam while Jake stood awkwardly next to them, hands in his pockets. He took his chance to leave and followed me and Charlie into the house, coming to my other side to help me walk.

I sat carefully onto the sofa, thankful for the comfort compared to the hard ground and tree I had been resting on previously. Charlie checked I was ok and left to find the Doctor, making sure Jake stayed with me. He moved to sit with me on the sofa, smiling weakly at me.

'How you feeling?' He asked gently. I couldn't keep eye contact with him, it was hard to answer him with a lie but even harder to answer the truth. I didn't want to face anything more tonight.

'I'm fine, my ankle is sore,' I said meekly, a fake smile on my lips as I looked at him. He put an arm round my shoulders and I leant in, welcoming the comfort.

'That, we can sort,' As he spoke he hugged me tighter. 'If you need a chat or someone to hang out with I'm only down the road,' His voice was so friendly and full of warmth, and even though I was feeling dreadful his words caused a small, genuine smile on my lips.


End file.
